|
(11) | EP 1 058 494 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
|
|
| (54) |
BALE COLLECTOR WITH SWIVELLING REAR ROLLER BED PART BALLENSAMMLER MIT SCHWENKBARE HINTERE ROLLENWAND COLLECTEUR DE BALLES EQUIPE D'UNE PLATE-FORME A GALETS COMPORTANT UNE PARTIE ARRIERE ORIENTABLE |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0002] A bale collector of the above type is disclosed by DB-U-29517425. In an operating state, with the roller bed parts unfolded from each other and from the baling press, the prior art bale collector is suspended by chains and cables to the rear end of the baling press. In this state the roller bed is substantially straight and it has a length which is much smaller than the length of a bale. The prior art bale collector merely provides a guidance means for bales when depositing them onto the ground, while allowing safe transportation of the baling press with the bale collector mounted thereon in a folded state opposite the press outlet.
[0003] With the prior art bale collector the bales supplied by the baling press are deposited onto the ground with fixed distances on which a user of the press and the collector has no influence. Thus, the bales may become distributed over the whole field on which the bales are made. This may be a disadvantage for time effective picking up and loading the bales from the field for transportation to a storage location.
[0004] It is observed that the length of the roller bed of the prior art bale collector is limited to prevent tilting rearward the combination of the baling press and the bale collector dependent on the weight of the bales. In this regard it is observed also that presently straw bales can have dimensions of 2,4 m long, 1,2 m wide and 0,7 m high with a weight of approximately 300 kg, while also presently silage bales of the same dimensions may have a weight of 500 to 800 kg.
[0006] In order to achieve the above mentioned objective, the invention provides a bale collector of the type described in claim 1.
[0007] The bale collector according to the invention provides a buffer function which offers the user of the collector the possibility of depositing the bales in locations of his choice on the land.
[0008] Other features and advantages will become clear from the description which follows in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows in perspective an embodiment of a bale collector according to the invention in a retracted, unused state;
Fig. 2 shows in perspective the bale collector of Fig. 1 in a collecting and buffer state;
Fig. 3 shows in perspective the bale collector of Fig. 1 in a collecting and depositing state; and
Fig. 4 shows in perspective another embodiment of a bale collector according to the invention in a retracted, unused state.
[0009] Fig. 1 shows a rear part of a baling press 1, which travels in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 during normal operation. The baling press 1 has a press channel 4, which at a rear end thereof opens out into a press outlet 5.
[0010] A bale collector 10 according to the invention comprises a coupling piece 11, by means of which the collector 10, as shown, can be coupled to the rear end of the press channel 4.
[0011] The bale collector 10 further comprises a roller bed, consisting of parallel, horizontal rollers 13, which are suitable for receiving thereon and conveying successive bales from the press outlet 5 of the baling press 1.
[0012] The roller bed is divided into a front part 14 and a rear part 15. The front part 14 is coupled to the coupling piece 11 in such a way that it swivels about a horizontal axis at 17. The front roller bed part 14 and the rear roller bed part 15 are coupled to each other in such a way that they swivel about a horizontal axis at 18. Said axes are parallel to the rollers 13.
[0013] The front roller bed part 14 has on either side an elongated guide element 20 for guiding bales moving over the rollers 13 parallel to the direction of travel 2.
[0014] The coupling piece 11, the front roller bed part 14 and the rear roller bed part 15 each have a respective connecting arm 22, 23, 24 with respective coupling ends 25, 26 and 27. A cylinder, in particular a hydraulic cylinder 29, can be fitted between the coupling ends 25 and 26 or between the coupling ends 26 and 27. The cylinder 29 can be controlled from the baling press 1 by way of hoses 31, 32, in particular by a driver of the baling press 1. In particular, a single cylinder, the cylinder 29, is used.
[0015] In the state of the bale collector 10 shown in Fig. 1 the cylinder 29 is fitted between the coupling ends 25, 26 of the coupling piece 11 and the front roller bed part 14 respectively, and the cylinder 29 is retracted, with the result that the front roller bed part 14 is drawn upwards, so that wheels 34 attached thereto are clear of the ground 35, and the rear roller bed part 15 hangs down by its own weight. In this state the bale collector 10 can be transported safely and easily while it is coupled to the baling press 1.
[0016] In the case of the states of the baling press 10 shown in Figures 2 and 3 the cylinder 29 is fitted between the coupling ends 26 and 27 of the front roller bed part 14 and the rear roller bed part 15 respectively. In both situations of Figs. 2 and 3 the wheels 34 are resting on the ground 35. In the situation of Fig. 2 the cylinder 29 is retracted, and in the situation of Fig. 3 the cylinder 29 is extended.
[0017] A rear bale 40 supported by the roller bed will tilt over a highest rear end of the roller bed part 14, 15 and be deposited on the ground 35 when the centre of gravity of the bale has been pushed backwards beyond said highest rear end. The time which then elapses before a following rear bale 40 is deposited on the ground 35 can be called buffer time.
[0018] The buffer time depends on various factors, in particular: the lengths of the roller bed parts 14, 15 relative to the lengths of the bales 40, the highest position of the rear ends of the roller bed parts 14, 15, the heights of the bales 40, the supply speed of the bales 40 from the baling press 1, and the moment at which a user controls the cylinder 29 in order to swivel the rear roller bed part 15 downwards (Fig. 3).
[0019] The user can use the buffer time to deposit successive rear bales 40 in respective desired locations on the land 35. For that purpose, the user can set a suitable fixed angular position of the rear roller bed part 15 by means of the cylinder 29 and/or at suitable moments the user can swivel the rear roller bed part 15 downwards by means of the cylinder 29 to such an extent that a rear bale is deposited directly on the ground, after which the user swivels the rear roller bed part 15 up again to the initial, higher position.
[0020] A bale collector according to the invention can be designed with or without the swivelling coupling between the front coupling piece 11 and the front roller bed part 14.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment of a bale collector 44 according to the invention, shown in Fig. 4, such a swivelling coupling is present and one or more wheels 45 are fitted substantially only in the centre on the underside of the front roller bed part 14, viewed at right angles to the direction of travel 2. This means that when the baling press is being used on hilly terrain one or more wheels are prevented from leaving the ground, and the swivelling coupling is prevented from sustaining damage (through torsion).
1. Bale collector (10, 44), which, viewed relative to a direction of travel (2), is suitable
to be coupled behind a press outlet (5) of a baling press (1), comprising a roller
bed with a number of horizontal rollers (13), which are positioned at right angles
to the direction of travel (2) and which are suitable for receiving thereon successive
bales (40) from a press outlet (5) of the baling press (1) and for having bales (40)
pushed backwards onto each other, whereby the roller bed comprises, viewed in the
direction of travel, a front part (14) and a rear part (15), which are coupled to
each other in such a way that they can swivel about a horizontal axis (18) under control
of control means (29, 31, 32) which are coupled to the roller bed parts (14, 15) for
moving a rear end of the rear roller bed part (15) between an upper position which
is higher than the front part (14) and a lower position which is lower than the front
part (14) for allowing conveyance of a bale (40) from the rear part (15) onto the
ground, characterized in that the front part (14) is provided with one or more supporting wheels (34, 45), the
upper position is of a height in which it allows conveyance of a bale (40) over the
rear end of the rear part (15) and from the rear part (15) onto the ground, and the
lower position of the rear end of the rear part (15) is of a height in which the rear
part (15) is inclined downwards with respect to the front part (14).
2. Bale collector (10, 44) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means comprise a control cylinder (29) which is fitted between the roller
bed parts (14, 15), a front end of the front roller bed part (14) is coupled to a
coupling piece (11) in such a way that it swivels about a horizontal axis, the roller
bed can be coupled to the baling press (1) by way of the coupling piece (11), the
roller bed swivels to a high angular position in which it is unsuitable for receiving
bales (40) from the baling press (1), holding means are fitted for enabling the roller
bed (14, 15) to be held in the high angular position, and an end of the cylinder (29)
can be coupled exchangeably to the rear roller bed part (15) or to the coupling piece
(11), in order to permit swivelling of the rear roller bed part (15) relative to the
front roller bed part or to permit swivelling of the roller bed (14, 15) relative
to the coupling piece (11).
3. Bale collector (10, 44) according to a preceding claim, characterized in that a front end of the front roller bed part (14) is coupled to a coupling piece (11)
in such a way that it swivels about a horizontal axis, the roller bed can be coupled
by way of the coupling piece (11) to the baling press (1), and in that a wheel (45) is fitted substantially only in the centre on the underside of the front
roller bed part (14), viewed at right angles to the direction of travel (2).
1. Ballensammler (10, 44), der relativ zu einer Fahrtrichtung (2) gesehen geeignet ist,
hinter einen Pressenauslass (5) einer Ballenpresse (1) gekuppelt zu werden, welcher
Ballensammler einen Rollenträger mit einer Anzahl von horizontalen Rollen (13) umfasst,
die unter rechten Winkeln zu der Fahrtrichtung (2) positioniert sind und dafür geeignet
sind, aufeinanderfolgende Ballen (40) aus einem Pressenauslass (5) der Ballenpresse
(1) auf sich aufzunehmen und die Ballen (40) nach hinten aufeinander zu schieben,
womit der Rollenträger in der Fahrtrichtung gesehen einen vorderen Teil (14) und einen
hinteren Teil (15) umfasst, die in einer Weise miteinander verbunden sind, dass sie
unter Steuerung durch Steuermittel (29, 31, 32) um eine horizontale Achse (18) schwenken
können, die mit den Rollenträger-Teilen (14, 15) zum Bewegen eines hinteren Endes
des hinteren Rollenträger-Teils (15) zwischen einer oberen Position, die höher als
der vordere Teil (14) liegt, und einer unteren Position, die niedriger als der vordere
Teil (14) liegt, zum Ermöglichen einer Förderung eines Ballens (40) von dem hinteren
Teil (15) auf den Boden verbunden sind, dadurch gekenn- zeichnet, dass der vordere Teil (14) mit einem oder mehreren Stütz-Rädern (34, 45) versehen
ist, die obere Position von einer Höhe ist, in welcher die Förderung eines Ballens
(40) über das hintere Ende des hinteren Teils (15) und von dem hinteren Teil (15)
auf den Boden gestattet ist, und die untere Position des hinteren Endes des hinterem
Teils (15) von einer Höhe ist, in welcher der hintere Teil (15) in bezug auf den vorderen
Teil (14) abwärts geneigt ist.
2. Ballensammler (10, 44) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch ge- kennzeichnet, dass die Steuermittel einen SteuerZylinder (29) umfassen, der zwischen den Rollenträger-Teilen
(14, 15) angebracht ist, ein vorderes Ende des vorderen Rollenträger-Teils (14) in
einer Weise mit einem Verbindungsstück (11) verbunden ist, dass es um eine horizontal
Achse schwenkt, der Rollenträger mit der Ballenpresse (1) mittels des Verbindungsstücks
(11) verbunden werden kann, der Rollenträger in eine hohe Winkelposition schwenkt,
die nicht dafür geeignet ist, dass er Ballen (40) auf der Ballenpresse (1) aufnehmen
kann, Haltemittel angebracht sind, die es ermöglichen, dass die Rollenträger-Teile
(14, 15) in der hohen Winkelposition gehalten werden, und ein Ende des Zylinders (29)
auswechselbar mit dem hinteren Rollenträger-Teil (15) oder mit dem Verbindungsstück
(11) verbunden werden kann, um ein Schwenken des hinteren Rollenträgers-Teils (15)
relativ zu dem vorderen Rollenträger-Teil zu gestatten oder um ein Schwenken der Rollenträger-Teile
(14, 15) relativ zu dem Verbindungsstück (11) zu gestatten.
3. Ballensammler (10, 44) nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein vorderes Ende des vorderen Rollenträger-Teils (14) in einer Weise mit einem Verbindungsstück
(11) verbunden ist, dass es um eine horizontale Achse schwenkt, der Rollenträger mittels
des Verbindungsstücks (11) mit der Ballenpresse (1) verbunden werden kann und ein
Rad (45) im wesentlichen nur im Zentrum auf der Unterseite des vorderen Rollenträgerteils
(14) unter rechten Winkeln zu der Fahrtrichtung (2) gesehen angebracht ist.
1. Collecteur de balles (10, 44), qui est prévu pour être accouplé derrière une sortie
de presse (5) d'une presse à balles (1), avec référence à une direction de déplacement
(2), comprenant un lit de rouleaux constitué d'une pluralité de rouleaux horizontaux
(13) qui sont disposés perpendiculairement à la direction de déplacement (2), qui
peuvent recevoir des balles successives (40) venant d'une sortie de presse (5) de
la presse à balles (1) et sur lesquels des balles (40) sont poussées vers l'arrière,
de sorte que le lit de rouleaux comprend, vu dans la direction de déplacement, une
partie avant (14) et une partie arrière (15) qui sont reliées l'une à l'autre d'une
manière telle qu'elles peuvent pivoter autour d'un axe horizontal (18) sous le contrôle
de moyens de commande (29, 31, 32) qui sont reliés aux parties (14, 15) du lit de
rouleaux pour déplacer une extrémité arrière de la partie arrière (15) du lit de rouleaux
entre une position relevée qui est plus haute que la partie avant (14) et une position
abaissée qui est plus basse que la partie avant (14) afin de permettre le déchargement
d'une balle (40) de la partie arrière (15) sur le sol, caractérisé en ce que la partie avant (14) est pourvue d'une ou plusieurs roues de support (34, 45), la
dite position relevée est à une hauteur telle qu'elle permet le passage d'une balle
(40) au-dessus de l'extrémité arrière de la partie arrière (15) puis de la partie
arrière (15) sur le sol, et la dite position abaissée de l'extrémité arrière de la
partie arrière (15) est à une hauteur telle que la partie arrière (15) est inclinée
vers le bas par rapport à la partie avant (14).
2. Collecteur de balles (10, 44), selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de commande comprennent un vérin de commande (29) qui est monté entre
les parties (14, 15) du lit de rouleaux, une extrémité avant de la partie avant (14)
du lit de rouleaux est reliée à une pièce d'accouplement (11) d'une manière telle
qu'elle pivote autour d'un axe horizontal, le lit de rouleaux peut être accouplé à
la presse à balles (1) au moyen de la pièce d'accouplement (11), le lit de rouleaux
pivote à une position angulaire haute dans laquelle il ne peut pas recevoir de balles
(40) venant de la presse à balles (1), des moyens de retenue sont prévus pour permettre
de maintenir le lit de rouleaux (14, 15) dans la position angulaire haute, et une
extrémité du vérin (29) peut être reliée de façon échangeable à la partie arrière
(15) du lit de rouleaux ou à la pièce d'accouplement (11), afin de permettre un pivotement
de la partie arrière (15) du lit de rouleaux par rapport à la partie avant du lit
de rouleaux, ou de permettre un pivotement du lit de rouleaux (14, 15) par rapport
à la pièce d'accouplement (11).
3. Collecteur de balles (10, 44) selon une revendication précédente, caractérisé en ce qu'une extrémité avant de la partie avant (14) du lit de rouleaux est accouplée à une
pièce d'accouplement (11) d'une manière telle qu'elle pivote autour d'un axe horizontal,
le lit de rouleaux peut être accouplé au moyen de la pièce d'accouplement (11) à la
presse à balles (1), et une roue (45) est montée sensiblement seulement au centre
de la face inférieure de la partie avant (14) du lit de rouleaux, vue perpendiculairement
à la direction de déplacement (2).